Line 6 HD 147 300-Watt Digital Modeling Amp Head Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been playing hard rock and metal for 29 years (love Dream Theater, OLD Metallica, Vai, Satch, etc.). Wow, has it been that long? I have done more recording and gigging than I can remember. Anyway, I was skeptical when I first heard about this, read the reviews, and listened to some of the digital deniers/naysayers. I, too, have always preferred tube sound to digital. However, I quickly found that, if you understand and know how to properly adjust this amp, the distortion blows the others away... in depth, in styles, in selections, in sheer amount of leeway with which to experiment and create your own, signature sound (instead of being staying in the flock of sheep... you really want to sound like everyone else anyway? You can if you want with this amp... but, this amp allows for SO MUCH MORE. No one ever was cited as being innovative for sounding like others... But, I digress.) And, good GOD, when you click the STEREO switch and hear this thing through true, 2 sided stereo... THE distortion is absolutely beautiful, smooth, creamy, and just MAJESTIC-sounding. Doesn't sound compressed and like you're listening to it through a can... or has been compressed down to a few frequencies. Fills the entire room with a symphony of brutality. THAT, my friends, is where you get HEADROOM... STEREO SOUND. The clean sounds you can produce are without equal. Like playing crystal strings... shimmering, clear, and really brings out the different characteristics of adjustments to your guitar... volume, tone, pickup selections... where you pick on the fretboard, all of it. Amazingly responsive to different styles. It really shows off your instrument and your brand of music.
The ease of use, the bone-crushing distortions that go way beyond what anyone would ever use, the crystal cleans, and the effects are all incredible. Speaking of effects, how many amps have a pre-set noise gate that you don't even have to really adjust for loud volumes? Just hit the button on your amp! Also, built in compression... again, just hit the button on your amp.
You know what, at the end of the day, all of these people who dribble on and on incessantly about that type of tube distortion and this type of tube distortion... Satriani, Vai, and Petrucci all use the Boss DS-1 distortion pedal to get their distortion sound. Yep, lol, that's right. Look at their racks and their rigs... Lynch used ProCo (Rat) stomp box for his distortion. MANY players use Ibanez TS-1, etc, etc. Well, here's an amp that you don't have to go buy a pedal for... Ever.
Get this and enjoy the freedom. Throw your effects away. GET THE FBV SHORTBOARD, however... Have fun and make music, people!!! Enjoy!!

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When we introduced our Insane custom model in 1996, we redefined how much distortion you could squeeze out of a single piece of gear. Now we've got HD147 with 14 custom models like Smash, Big Bottom, Octone, Purge, and Agro that will send you into high-gain overload. But, we didn't stop there. We added models based on boutique heads like the Diezel VH4 and Herbert, Peavey� 5150, Cornford mk50h, Marshall� Silver Jubilee and JCM2000, and Bogner Extacy and Ubershall.

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Line 6 POD Studio KB37 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm new to creating music on a computer, and my research, along with tons of positive reviews from others, led me to the POD Studio KB37 as a good all-purpose starting point. In terms of flexibility, this package is very hard to beat. The built-in inputs and mic preamps let you record just about anything, from guitar/bass and other electric instruments to vocals and acoustic instruments (using your own mic, of course). For these uses alone, the KB37 is a great way to get sound into your computer with minimum headaches. Simply connect the KB37 to your computer with a single USB cable. It's USB-powered, so you don't even have to plug it into a power outlet.
The hardware's MIDI keyboard and control surface open up a whole new dimension. They allow you to add keyboard parts and adjust some software parameters via real-world knobs and buttons; this is much faster than clicking and dragging onscreen "virtual" controls.
The included software package reveals the KB37's full potential, transforming an otherwise great product into an incredible bargain. Sure, the Reason Adapted (synth, sampler, sequencer, and effects) and Ableton Live (multitrack recording) software are the "lite" versions of these programs, but even so, they're very versatile and powerful. If you're fairly new to DAW software, trust me, even the lite version of Reason is pretty incredible -- you'll get a lot of use out of it. It includes tons of sampled real-world instruments, fully functional and tweakable soft synths, drum machine, sequencer, effects, and a lot more. It takes quite a while to explore its impressive capabilities. Once you do, you'll know whether you want to upgrade to the full version, which is available at a discounted price. But again, the lite verion will be plenty for many users.
Finally, you get Line 6's POD Farm software, which gives you an arsenal of stompbox and rack effects for guitar, bass, vocals, and just about anything else. On top of that, it includes amp, cab, and mic preamp modeling. You get everything that most guitar multi-effects units provide and then some. Because it runs on your computer, naming and saving patches is quicker and easier than stand-alone multi-effects units, and you can save as many custom patches as you like. And, unlike stand-alone units, POD Farm is expandable. Line 6 claims that the KB37 allows you to monitor your tone, complete with effects, without a latency problem (a lag between playing a note and hearing the output). This is not an empty promise. On my modest laptop, which runs Windows Vista on an Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 (1.83GHz) with 3GB of RAM, I experience zero latency problems.
All told, for the price of one guitar multi-effects unit, you get everything you need to start a home studio. If you're a full-time keyboard player, this package probably isn't aimed at you. As its name suggests, the KB37's keyboard has only 37 keys. So, there are probably better MIDI keyboard controllers out there for you. Plus, as a keyboard specialist, you'd most likely want a full version of whatever synth software you prefer. On the other hand, if you play guitar or bass and you want all the building blocks for tweaking your tone, adding vocals, effects, *and* getting your feet wet with powerful synths, sampling, and multitrack recording, here it is for a laughably low price.


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Line 6 POD X3 Review

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(More customer reviews)Geez, where to start. This thing is unreal. For the gigging musician you only need to plug your Mic into the XLR input and your guitar/bass into the guitar input, dial up your favorite patches (you can create your own "User" patches), and run your output into the house PA. No amp or other gear to lug around!!
This thing has truly great guitar/bass sounds and great vocal sounds both out of this one unit. What I really like about it is that the key parameters (gain, EQ, presence, volume, reverb) ALL have their own dedicated knobs on top of the unit...no fumbling thru a bunch of confusing and dimly lit menus. And when you are at the gig there is a way to get the patch number to take up the whole LED (in BIG letters) so you can actually see what patch you are using. And did I mention the sound....I have Boss 600 digital recorder with amp/bass models which until I got the Pod, I thought were pretty good. Well I no longer use the Boss for guitar sounds. Instead, now I run the Pod into the 600 (which is a great digital multitrack recorder with so/so effects).
And now lets talk about the studio. This IS your computer audio interface. The Pod interfaces with your computer (Logic, Cubase, Gband, etc.) via a USB interface. You get simultaneous wet and dry outputs over the USB so you can get all the inspiration the Pod gives you but if you choose, record dry while your DAW is tracking. You can also use your DAW to cycle the Pod thru patch changes if that is the direction you want to go. The Line 6 website has updates/drivers and you will want to plug your Pod into your computer and follow the update instructions on the LIne 6 download page.
When I got this thing I plugged in my guitar (Takamine acoustic first, then Epiphone Casino elec) and some headphones and read just enough in the manual (5 min) to audition the thing. I ended up playing guitar for 2 hours. I was in heaven. Yea, there are a lot of high gain "thrasher/shredder" sounds but there are also a lot of clean sounds that I prefer. The next day I plugged in my Mic, set the Mic gain pot to max and got a great guitar/vocal thing going. However, the MIc input defaults to "mute" so I had to spend about 10 minutes to figure out that I had to play with both the input and output menus to get the MIc working. I played/sang for 3 hours straight after that. It was very inspiring. The next day I figured out how to get the sound to come out of the two 1/4 outputs into a Fender Princeton amp. It sounded great too.
The only "bad" thing is that for each patch you have to have to setup the inputs, outputs, and vocals. Otherwise, the Mic input will not work nor will the outputs work as they default to "Mute". What you want to do is setup user patches that have all these switches set the way that YOU want them so you don't have to tweak each patch every time you turn the thing on. Also the manual is a bit weak and some of the controls are a bit confusing at first. But it is not as difficult as the 600 as the 600 has about 4 levels of menus while the Pod X3 only has 2 levels of menus.
Oh yea, and if you want you can buy a footswitch controller if you are gigging. My friend has the Pod XT and I was just about ready to buy one when I stumbled across the X3....I am so glad I got the X3 as having the capability to do BOTH guitar and vocals at the same time (with their own controls) is huge for me. As a singer/songwriter I could setup all my user patches, show up at the gig with just my guitar, Mic, and Mic stand, and run my feed directly into the house board.
Best money I ever spent on a piece of gear. If you just want a stomp box for your guitar try the pocket Pod or the Pod 2.0. But if you want vocals, guitar, and a computer audio interface, this is your baby.

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The POD X3 will inspire and amaze you with the most complete collection of POD-quality guitar amp, cab, stompbox and studio effect models ever. This arsenal of rare vintage treasures, modern boutiques, and perennial classics offers nearly unlimited creative possibilities. Create your own tones or instantly play through any of the 250+ professionally dialed-in presets. For those in search of greater tonal possibilities, POD X3 gives you more power than ever before to create entirely new sounds. Split your guitar signal and play it through two guitar amp and effect signal chains at once. Add bass or vocals using the bass amp and high-end mic preamp models now included in POD X3.You can even plug in two instruments at once, each with its own independent tone processing. Whatever your music calls for, POD X3 has the power and flexibility to deliver. Whether you choose to recreate the sounds of the past or turn tradition on its ear, POD X3 comes fully-loaded with most inspiring collection of POD-quality amps and effects to let your sound break free. Most powerful POD EVER!Line 6 POD X3 Features and Benefits Electric Guitar POD X3 offers a whole new level of control over your guitar tone. Plug straight into any one of the 78 ear-shattering guitar amp models for pure, unadulterated guitar tone. Combine amp and cab models with the mouth-watering collection of 98 stompbox and studio effect models to build out your rig. Take your sound to the next level by blasting your guitar through two guitar rigs at once to create a massive wall of sound that even guitar heroes of the past would respect. Or plug POD X3 in front of your favorite stack or combo to pile on up to nine simultaneous effects, including

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Line 6 Floorboard - Guitar Pedal Board Foot Contr Review

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(More customer reviews)I use the Floorboard with the Pod Pro, though it is also designed to work with Line 6's Flextone series of amplifiers too. It's really easy to use, although you can either have it in "select the patches" mode, or "manual mode" though you need to be en garde at all times, as the same buttons do different things in the different modes. It has some great - amazing, really - flexibility in the manual edit mode, and brilliantly clever little touches like "boost" functions for EQ, overdrive and distortion. You want to hit that solo? Step on it, and it goes a little louder, a little brighter, or a little nastier depending on what you step on.
However, unless you trained as an organist, in a live session you don't want to be jumping around like Michael Flatley jabbing your toes at various buttons in the manual edit mode, clicking delays in or out, and then switching modes (another button) when you want to change patches - realistically you will just have a patch *with* delay set up next to an identical patch *without* delay. But if you're in patch mode, you don't have access to the boosters - which really would be useful. But it's such a great thing I think, dammit, I'll just get comfortable training to be an organist.
Its construction is as hard as nails, but - and it's a big but - the patch switches kick in a split second after you stamp on them, not immediately, as you'd expect with a stomp box. This is a major weakness. Since I use it with the Pod, and only really in the home studio environment, I can live with this. But I don't think it would fly in a live envinronment. When you want to switch from Fender Tweed to loud JCM for that face melting solo, you want to do it *now* and not some time between now and the next beat. I don't know if this can be fixed in future models, but it needs to be.
Olly Buxton

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Line 6 POD HD 500 Review

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(More customer reviews)Before we get started, I am more "pro" than amateur. I work at a church as a pastor of Worship Arts and use this in my work. But I hesitate to say I'm only "pro", because "amateur" means you do something purely for the love of it... and I feel that way about music... So...
First... the models I've tested are far and away more realistic to my ears than other modelers I've used, which includes Logic Studio's amps (these sound almost as good btw), POD X3Live and XTPro (the HD models are noticeably better... and the fizz is GONE GONE GONE), the original POD and 2.0 (which sounded the same to me and made me happy at the time), and the ToneLab SE (which I missed for a while, but not anymore).
I made a few patches for one of my guitars based on having a Bassman 4x10 alongside the Dr. Z, and it is the coolest sound I've ever made with this guitar... easily. Better sounding, to my ears, than the real amps I've been using (maybe because I put them off stage and don't run them very loud). I ADORE the sound of this unit.
Oh, and as always... forget about all the pre-sets. They're probably all as useless as you imagine they might be.
Now the bad news. And it's significant... for some...
First off, editing is clunky like it was on the XT and X3Live. Just forget about trying to use the display. Connect to a computer... Seriously. When you start from an init patch, you only get lucky, it seems, to manage to coax it into "two amp" config...
Next, The functionality of this unit is exaggerated by it's specs. You will almost certainly NOT be able to do 8 FX at once the way you're thinking. Why? Let's say you use an XT or a X3. think about what you're used to.
You start with 8 FX
Subtract effect banks for...
1. volume pedal (you need to use an effect bank). You might be able to use an analog pedal, but I like my volume after my compressor... so I have to do it in the loop I guess...
2. FX loop (only works with an effect bank... Line6, is there any way you can make this always active in a firmware upgrade? Seems like you could.)
3. Noise Gate (used to be always available... don't worry if you mix this with the M13 as I plan to do, though, as the M13 has a great gate). I mostly use clean or just barely broken-up amps, so I might be able to skip this.
4. Wah (this is always available and active in the X3 and below).
5. Post-EQ. The X3Live had a final EQ before final output that I liked a lot. in addition to all the other FX, too. You need to dedicate an FX bank now.
SO... you might only have 3FX left. For me, put in a clean boost and tube drive (which I think sound better in this box than they did in the M13. Probably because they're "digitally part of the signal" is all I can think) and a verb for the amp. No slots left. What if you need delay and modulation? EEK! I have to re-think the way I use FX in this box. Still evaluating how that will work for me.
What if you're a guy like me who was using the X3Live (occasionally) as a one-box solution for a dual-voice guitar. (All my guitars have piezo bridges.) No dice.
I will have to use an acoustic preamp. No matter. I have one. I will probably dedicate a "null" amp to bring this signal into the unit and mix it.
In addition, there aren't as many computer-recording routing options as the X3Live, and the SUPER-sweet ability to switch between two FX chains in one patch (instead of switching programs) is gone. As far back as my old Vox ToneLab SE, I could literally switch channels from one amp/cab to another in the same FX chain. You could do something similar on the X3Live. Not here. Also... Line 6, why on earth can't you make the Midi in and out work as a USB Midi interface with this unit? How complicated can that really be?
In short... the X3Live has significantly... SIGNIFICANTLY more flexibility imho than this unit, for many of us at least, and ought not to have been discontinued imho. For some of you, it's still a viable option.
You also still might need your other FX!
I thought it might be possible that this unit, even if I needed to use my AG Stomp for my acoustic side again (which I'm happy to do) would bump my M13 off the stage. Maybe not. At least not all the time. That said, I think from what I'm hearing that some of the FX (especially the dirt pedals) work FAR better inside this box than they do in the M13 when you connect it to a POD or amp.
My favorite patches so far that I've made (which use the Bassman model and the UNBELIEVABLE Dr. Z model... far and AWAY my favorite amp model EVAH!) don't leave any room for modulation or other special FX. (I'm not a "switch whole patches on the fly" guy. I turn FX off and on.) So I need my M13 after all. And the way I use my M13, having four FX processors with 3 FX available at any time is something I don't think I can live without anyway...
My rig is not getting any simpler, though... and that is a minor disappointment. The X3Live was a one-box solution for the two-voice guitar I do... Am I complaining? No. Because the sound of this unit is so extraordinary. I'd take off a full star for this shortcoming, but the fact is the unit sounds good enough that I can't do it.
There will, at some point, I hope, be a next-generation of this technology which will possibly address some of the usability shortcomings, but I have to say, for this price, I am totally satisfied with the sound, and have the other gear to add to it to make it totally work for me... BIG TIME!
In the meantime, am I willing to trade the flexibility of my former rig for the sound of this one? Heck yes, it sounds that good. I even love the models of amps I know I'll never use for the first time ever....
So... I will likely have a rig consisting of the HD500, and sometimes an M13 (I'm SERIOUSLY thinking of down-sizing that to an M9, but probably won't bother), and an acoustic preamp (currently a Yamaha AG-Stomp) mixed in with the HD signal through the mp3 input or using ONE of the FX to route it through the aux input.
Am I disappointed? Not really. I'm only nit-picking so that you will know all the trade-offs. For what I have been fantasizing about, basically an M13 in form and function with a handful of amp models shoved in the box, this is as close as we're probably going to come. And, did I mention... the SOUND! It's seriously great!
UPDATE! I have learned that I will indeed have no problem replacing my M13 as well, and am selling it in the next day or so (already have offers). It's a great unit, but I simply will not need it anymore with this thing around.

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New HD amp modeling: sound and feel like never beforeHD amp models defy the accepted standard. They feel, behave, and interact with previously unachievable realism.Creating these new HD amp models was no small feat. We mixed 15 years of amp modeling experience with 3 years of new research and development to build an entirely new amp modeling technology from the ground up.During that time, we hunted down 16 incredible amplifiers andwith the help of LAs top tube amp expertsrestored each one back to peak condition. The new modeling technology uses 10-times more amplifier information than before, including single-ended class A tube stages, class AB push/pull interactions, power supply behavior, and more. The result is unprecedented, warmth, feel, sustain, and articulation for you to fall in love with.Tube amp fanatics have long enthused that their favorite stacks and combos arent merely amps, but instruments themselves, with playability equal to that of the guitar plugged into them. New HD modeling takes the POD HD experience to that same exalted level, capturing the genuine playability that great guitarists demand. Your amp collectionnow in HD!On the menu is a collection of freshly modeled amps, many of which are brand-new to POD, and all of which are essential for performing guitarists who require a wide variety of tones in one streamlined, multi-FX-sized package. POD HD500 includes 16 HD amp models based on* Fender Twin ReverbHiwatt Custom 100 (DR103)Supro S6616Gibson EH-185Fender BassmanFender Blackface Deluxe ReverbDivided by 13 JRT 9/15Dr. Z Route 66Vox AC-15Vox AC-30 (Top Boost)Marshall JTM-45 MkIIPark 75Marshall JCM-800 (2204)Bogner UberschallMesa/Boogie Dual RectifierENGL Fireball 100*All product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Line 6. These trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose tones and sounds were studied during Line ...

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